Burn, by Patrick Ness

Title: Burn
Author: Patrick Ness
Genre/ issues: Alternative history. Fantasy. Racism.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, search Indies to locate your closest independent bookstore, or find it on Booktopia. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

There’s no doubt that Patrick Ness is a masterful writer. I read his latest book, Burn, today, and there are many dog-eared pages marking passages that I’ll be coming back to and want to savour. I love the premise, too – small-town America, post-WW2 and in the grip of the Soviet suspicion that is a familiar part of our history, but with one (not-so) small difference – thar be dragons. Dragons living peacefully alongside humans, if not always trusted, and occasionally hired for labour.

This is a world in which racism and bigotry still exists. Where homosexuality is considered a sin by some, and kids are kicked out of home because of it. A world in which fanaticism, in the form of a cult of Believers dedicated to dragons, will let nothing get in the way of fulfilling an ancient prophecy. It’s also a world of (slightly spoilery!) multiverses, which ALWAYS appeals to me. I liked the diversity of the characters, and the way they handled being different in a world that sometimes wanted to punish them for that.

But – and it’s a big but – I found the ending kind of rushed and unsatisfying. Whilst I appreciated the narrative, I don’t think there was a whole lot of meaningful character development – at least, none I connected with on any emotional level. And I feel like the final chapters relief a little too much on exposition to wrap things up.
Having said all that, I still rate this book a solid 4/5. Malcolm and Nelson – sigh. I hope things are going well for them, and that they’re old men now, sitting on their porch holding hands and drinking tea. I know a friend read this and was mad that there isn’t going to be a book 2 – I’m ok with that. It’s a solid standalone for me. I don’t need to revisit this world, but I’m quite happy to have spent a Saturday here.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 53/100

Happy reading,

You should see me in a crown, by Leah Johnson

Title: You should see me in a crown
Author: Leah Johnson
Genre/ issues: YA romance. Coming of age. Race.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, search Indies to locate your closest independent bookstore, or find it on Booktopia. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

What a delight this book by Leah Johnson was! I read this in a single sitting tonight – sweet, engaging, heartfelt and romantic. Liz’s plans for college are in jeopardy when some financial support she was counting on falls through, until her brother comes up with the bright idea of running for prom queen and the scholarship that goes along with it. Liz has always felt too black, too poor and too awkward for her small, rich and prom-obsessed town. But running for prom queen might just be the thing she needs to help her see how she really fits in. Plus, the new girl at school … did I mention romance?

I grew up in a small town. I felt the sting of not feeling “enough” of anything. Of not feeling like I fit in, even with my friends. I loved the arc that Liz gets in You Should See Me in a Crown. There were scenes that brought me to tears of joy, and some moments that gave me real 10 Things vibes. An utter joy.

It also marks me hitting my target for my 2020 Reading Challenge  – 52/52. I guess I need to readjust that target, huh?

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 52/52

Happy reading,

The hate u give, by Angie Thomas

Title: The hate u give
Author: Angie Thomas
Genre/ issues: YA contemporary fiction. Racism. Black Lives Matter. Family.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, search Indies to locate your closest independent bookstore, or find it on Booktopia. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

June saw me reading books by BIPOC authors as I focused on decolonising my bookshelf, and I finished the month with The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. What a sensational book. Focusing on the personal and community responses in the wake of the shooting of a black teen by a white cop, this book is gripping. Whilst we see mostly through the eyes of Starr, the main character and friend of the young man who was killed, we also get significant insight into the motivations and reactions of a range of people who are impacted by this. Why do people protest? How do good cops, like Starr’s uncle, respond when someone they know is in the firing line? How do white friends show their support? I was really moved by this book, and by its subtle insistence that the most powerful weapon we have is our voice. Let’s use it to speak up for what’s right, and to speak out against what is wrong.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 38/52

Happy reading,

Everything, Everything, by Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Genre/ issues: YA, contemporary fiction, romance, families.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, search Indies to locate your closest independent bookstore, or find it on Booktopia. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

What a lovely read this was! I bought Everything, Everything for Tayla when we were in San Francisco, and it’s been sitting on the shelf since. It’s been popping up on my radar over the past few weeks, though, so I started reading it the other day. Maddy has a rare immune disorder, so has lived her entire life in the bubble of her house with her doctor mother. When Olly moves in next door, what follows is a love story which gets you thinking about what is really worth living for. A twist at the end that I didn’t see coming – although apparently other people did! – and a main character with a suitable appreciation of the power of stories made this a really enjoyable read for me. Also, how pretty is that cover?

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 37/52

Happy reading,

Scythe, by Neal Shusterman

Title: Scythe
Author: Neal Shusterman
Genre/ issues: YA, dystopian.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, search Indies to locate your closest independent bookstore, or find it on Booktopia. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

It’s no secret that I love a good dystopian fiction series. They’ve been hard to read lately though – life is too closely imitating art. I’ve had Scythe by Neal Shusterman for over a year now, and finally decided to read it this weekend. I’m so glad I did!
Humanity has eradicated death and disease, and as a result people can now basically live forever. To combat over-population, Scythes are recruited to “glean” a quota of people each year, to help maintain some sense of balance on the planet. When two apprentices are given the opportunity to earn the profession of scythe, they learn far more than they bargained for.
I really enjoyed this book. I know there are 2 more in the series, and I’m very much looking forward to reading them, but the end of book 1 felt extremely satisfying, in ways that I’m not really used to in a YA series. Often you get the nail-biting cliffhanger, and whilst there were certainly elements of “to be continued”, Scythe has a solid resolution. If you’re after a good YA dystopian novel to read, but aren’t sure if you want to commit to a series, this would be a great one to dive into – solid enough to stand on its own two feet, but with some more to come if you get hooked. And bonus – the rest of the series is already out, so no pesky waiting for release dates!

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 36/52

Happy reading,

The Belles, by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: The Belles
Author: Dhonielle Clayton
Genre/ issues: YA. Dystopian fiction. Beauty standards.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, search Indies to locate your closest independent bookstore, or find it on Booktopia. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

I’ve had this book and the sequel for a while now, and I’ve gotta say I kind of judged it. It looks sweet, and I figured it was largely a romance novel. I’ve read some heavy stuff over the past couple of weeks, so I pulled this off my shelf for a slightly lighter read.
*cue Present Tamara laughing uproariously at Past Tamara*
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton is great. A fantasy world in which appearance is all, and the Belles are charged with the mysterious and goddess-given power to manipulate physical appearance to manifest beauty on those who can pay for it. This reminded me somewhat of the premise of the Uglies series, which I love. The difference? The “upgrades” come from a mystical and biological process rather than the more technological ones of the Uglies world, and the protagonist is one of the Belles who treasures her role in beautifying the land rather than someone who is on the receiving end of the procedures. A great read – I feel like there’s a lot I’m still missing, and the ending felt a little rushed, but I’ve got book 2 waiting for me, so I’m hoping that there’s some more of the detail I’m craving about these procedures in that!
As someone who has long struggled with her appearance – especially given that so much about me has/would/will never fit within the traditional societal views of beauty, there were moments in this book that were really hard to read. It’s an important issue to be addressed though, particularly for YA readers who are navigating their understanding of own identities in so many ways.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 34/52

Happy reading,